"We'll even take questions about search engine marketing." That was Jim Waltz, CEO of Conducive Corporation, giving in to the audience mood at Frost & Sullivan's Internet Marketing Strategies Symposium.

It's no secret that SEMs, agencies and the engines actively engage in poaching, encouraging job-hopping via salary increases and other benefits.

Not too long ago, I was moderating a panel of search marketing experts. We were unanimous in our support of organic optimization. From the audience came the question, "If organic optimization is so effective, why isn't it a more common strategy?" Great question. Unfortunately, the answer isn't an easy one.

While participating in the WOMMA conference last week in Orlando, Florida, I caught one of General Motor's 30-second regional television ads for its Pontiac brand. This spot was significant because it ended with an unusual call to action: "Don't take our word for it. Google Pontiac and discover for yourself."

A riddle: when is a search engine not a search engine? One of the most popular blog search engines isn't really a search engine at all, and its index spans far more than just blogs.

The success of all relationships comes down to communication. And no relationship is more difficult than that between the CMO and her many agencies. Ironically, few in this marketing Tower of Babel "speak CMO." It's as if the parties are from different countries and speak different languages.

In a flurry of announcements out of Redmond this week, there was one that struck a chord with me, because it is very similar to a development I forecast about a year ago.

Mobile search has always meant more to me than just another hyped application. Still, while I knew it as another opportunity for brands to connect with consumers, I never fully understood the consumer perspective until recently.

It's been tempting to cover the intersection of blogging and search engine marketing, but I didn't know how I'd be able to add to the commentary already out there. That all changed when I started blogging on my own in earnest.

I love cool, foggy winter nights in New York City. As I look up to see which buildings disappear into the clouds, I think about the millions of lit windows in the sky. Every light is a life, a story, a consumer.